Last Game Before Break; Yale Hosts Brown Thursday as Toys for Tots Drive Starts

Dec 02, 2008

Dec. 2, 2008

NEW HAVEN, Conn. -
Yale has one last chance to pick up points in the ECAC Hockey standings before the start of Winter break, as the Bulldogs host Brown Thursday at Ingalls Rink (7:00 p.m.; GameTracker, free live video via Yale All*Access). The Bulldogs and Bears are currently tied for eighth in the standings with Princeton. The game also marks the start of the Yale Athletics Department's "Toys for Tots" drive. After Thursday Yale will not play again for 26 days.

The Yale-Brown SeriesYale is 3-1-1 in its last five games against Brown. The Bulldogs beat the Bears 3-0 in the first game of the series last year, getting a 31-save shutout from sophomore goaltender Jackee Snikeris (Downingtown, Pa.) in Providence. Junior forward Mandi Schwartz (Wilcox, Sask.) had the game-winning goal, and sophomore forward Bray Ketchum (Greenwich, Conn.) had a pair of assists. The Bears then rallied for a 2-2 tie with the Bulldogs in their next meeting, scoring the game-tying goal with an extra attacker with 1:20 left in regulation. Ketchum scored both of Yale's goals.

Snikeris Named ECAC Hockey Goaltender of the WeekSophomore Jackee Snikeris (Downingtown, Pa.), who helped Yale to a 4-1 upset of then-No. 4 BU Tuesday and also won the Belliveau Award as the top goaltender at the Nutmeg Classic, has been named ECAC Hockey Goaltender of the Week. Snikeris stopped 56 of 60 shots (.933) for the week, posting a 1.34 goals-against average. She made 18 saves Tuesday in the upset of BU, then got her fifth career shutout with 17 saves against Quinnipiac in a 2-0 win in the first round of the Nutmeg Classic Friday. She made 21 saves Saturday against UConn in the Nutmeg Classic championship game and won the Belliveau Award as the top goaltender at the tournament, earning the award named after Yale All-American Laurie Belliveau '98.

Scouting BrownThe Bears have senior Nicole Stock, a second team All-ECAC Hockey and second team All-Ivy League selection, in goal. Stock has a .917 save percentage and a 3.35 goals-against average, and her 444 saves are second-most in the conference. Junior forward Andrea Hunter and freshman defenseman Paige Pyett are tied for the team lead in points (3-3-6). Pyett is part of a freshman class that accounts for more than a third of Brown's roster (nine of 26 players). That youth has led to some growing pains, and three of the Bears' last six losses have been by one goal.

Toys for TotsThursday's women's ice hockey game marks the start of Yale Athletics' Toys for Tots campaign. Fans who bring a toy to donate to an underprivileged child through Toys for Tots will receive a free general admission ticket. The same offer is available for the men's ice hockey games vs. RPI (Friday, 7:00 p.m.) and Union (Saturday, 7:00 p.m.) this weekend.

Bulldogs Busy Before BreakThis is Yale's fourth game in a 10-day span before getting a long break. The Bulldogs will have 26 days off for exams and the holidays before the second half of the season starts Dec. 30 with a game against Providence at Ingalls Rink.

Resor Invited to USA Hockey Holiday CampSenior defenseman Helen Resor (Greenwich, Conn.) has been selected to be part of a group of 58 of the nation's top women's ice hockey players that will convene in Blaine, Minn., for USA Hockey's annual Women's Holiday Camp from Dec. 26 to Dec. 31.